


New Beginnings for Us

by dumbjocklesbian



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Catra makes Adora giggle a lot, Catra says I love you first, Established Relationship, Everyone is in therapy, F/F, Fluff, Post-War, They love each other, also bow is a great and supportive pal, basically just an excuse for Catra and Adora to reflect on their growth, brief mentions of childhood trauma, but it's a small element of the story, catradora cuteness, first I love you, shows how they got together and healed, sort of a New Years party, we stan forever
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-02
Updated: 2020-01-02
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:14:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22082431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dumbjocklesbian/pseuds/dumbjocklesbian
Summary: Adora reflects on her relationship with all her friends during a New Year's party. Her relationship with Catra makes her very happy, and she is lost in thought about it while Catra spends the night stressing slightly over how to tell her girlfriend that she is in love with her.
Relationships: Adora & Catra (She-Ra), Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 98





	New Beginnings for Us

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is my first Catradora fic! Thanks so much for clicking on it, I hope you enjoy it! Just a head's up: I have some of my own headcanons thrown in the mix here, and I'd love to hear in the comments what you guys think of them. Hope the first day of 2020 was great for everyone. :)
> 
> Also, just a disclaimer that I don't own any of these characters whatsoever.

Laughter erupted from the crowd, expertly crafted from the combination of drowsiness and nostalgia only New Year’s Eve could bring about. Bow giggled through a story he told about Glimmer’s most iconic impulse control blunder. The group laughed as Glimmer groaned, “Bow! That’s not how it went!” and took over as story-teller. This typical role for Glimmer brought about knowing and affectionate laughter from the friends sitting together.

To Adora, though, the stories mattered far less than this moment did. She’d never be able to count the number of sleepless nights she’d spent during the war hoping for half the happiness she felt around her. She knew her friends were feeling it, too, and, truthfully, that mattered much more to her than her own relief ever could. 

Happiness was tangible in the way Mermista playfully swatted Seahawk’s arm off her shoulder. Her expression showed her characteristic sarcasm, but there was a sparkle in her eyes that Adora hadn’t seen during the war. It warmed her heart, too, to see that Seahawk smiled and blushed at Mermista’s action before bursting into laughter with the rest of the group with a story Perfuma was now sharing.

“And then,” the blonde paused to breathe through her giggles. “I found Mermista . . . reading more of those mystery books she loves . . . and Huntara was so confused by the mere concept of a book!” Perfuma’s face flushed in a glow as she looked up at her favorite warrior. Huntara had made an extra special visit to Brightmoon this year to the delight of everyone present, but to Perfuma in particular. The two had been flirting back and forth for some time now, and the entire group of friends eagerly watched the beginning stages of the crush with warmth and hope.

Glimmer and Bow shared a knowing look across the room with Adora at the story. They each recalled everything Adora had been confused by as she left Horde to enter Brightmoon, from different smelling soaps to fuzzy blankets to the concept of a vacation. They knew better than to bring up anything from before the war in this situation, though, so they kept their smiles and teasing glances to themselves while the rest of their friends laughed around them.

Across from them, Adora noticed Scorpia give a similar look to Catra, which was met with the cat’s typical smirk. Though nobody would admit it, Adora knew Scorpia meant a lot to Catra, and Adora could not be more thankful to know there was someone else to care for Catra unconditionally, both during the war and now after it. That was the love Adora knew Catra had always deserved.

At first, Adora had had an admittedly difficult time accepting their friendship. She’d felt guilty, thinking there may have been a way for all three of them to become friends in the Horde together if Adora had stayed. Selfishly, she wondered if Scorpia would have ever been important to Catra if Adora had still been in the picture. Her insecurities had an opinion, too, often arguing that Adora was never truly enough for Catra, that of course another person would come fill her role as best friend. However, she’d been working on letting those thoughts go and validating her decision to leave the Horde upon realizing their true intentions. She-Ra or not, she knew there was no way she could have continued to rise in the ranks of an institution with such horrible moral ground. Therapy had helped her with that, just as it had helped everyone around her in more ways than she could possibly count.

Her gaze traveled down to the purring coming from the sweet face nuzzling her shoulder. The source of that endearing sound was the true reason for most of Adora’s happiness: her girlfriend, Catra. It had taken a journey to get there, but it was one Adora couldn’t fathom being more thankful for, given how blissful dating Catra truly was.

Once Catra had realigned herself with the Rebellion to help take down Hordak Prime, Adora had taken it upon herself to have many, many heart-to-hearts with Catra until she could trust the two of them sleeping in the same castle again. Glimmer, Bow, Scorpia, or any combination of the three, were often asked to be present for these conversations after the initial one had ended with a bloody scratch on Adora’s chin and a broken finger for Catra. Adora needed to talk, and, in order to open up, Catra needed the prompting of other people who could read emotions more effectively than Adora was capable of.

One night, nearly two weeks into their new routine, the conversation brought on a greater revelation. Catra, teary-eyed and exhausted from these talks, asked Adora how she could have left the Horde knowing the way Shadow Weaver had physically harmed Catra so frequently. Adora was beyond bewildered by the notion, completely oblivious to the abuse that her best friend had faced at the hand of their shared caretaker.

“What are you talking about, Adora? I know you knew about it! You used to bang on the door and try to get Shadow Weaver to stop. She always made sure I heard. She wanted to torture me double by knowing it was hurting you, too.” The last part had been a whisper, but it had made Adora’s heart bleed to remember how much they used to care for each other. She had no idea what to say; this was all entirely new information to her.

Seeing the stress of this revelation plainly visible on Adora’s face, Bow had interjected. “Um, sorry to intrude, but, Adora, you said Shadow Weaver had the power to erase memories, right? Maybe she purposefully erased your memories of this happening to Catra to try to get you, or rather, She-Ra, to stay with the Horde long-term.”

Adora had wavered on the spot, tears spilling in her eyes. It made a ridiculous amount of sense, which twisted into her stomach and caused her knees to buckle slightly. Hearing how blind she had been, how easily the woman who raised her had manipulated her, felt like taking a knife to the stomach a thousand times over. Her hands shook violently. She sat down on her bed, curling her knees in toward her stomach.

Bow moved in to comfort her, but Catra immediately raised a hand to stop him. “Give us a minute,” she said, eyes never leaving Adora’s trembling form. Her voice was low, but not threatening. She was studying Adora with a careful focus Bow had never seen before. When he hesitated, she insisted, “Come on, Crop Top, I grew up walking Adora down from these ledges. I got this, okay? Have a little faith.” He had met Catra’s words with a nod and a quick “I’ll be outside if you need me, Adora” before leaving the girls alone.

Catra knew she wasn’t entirely capable of emotionally comforting most people, but Adora had always been more like an extension of herself than an entirely separate person. Growing up, her ability to comfort Adora had been the quality she was most proud of. She just needed to push past the harsh exterior she’d been putting up for the past year and a half, which would certainly be easier said than done.

Or so she thought.

She settled in to hug Adora to begin, knowing how much a grounding presence could settle Adora when she got like this. Adora flinched slightly at first, still slightly on-edge around Catra after everything. But, when Catra began rubbing soothing ciricles around Adora’s back, Adora couldn’t help but melt into the familiar gesture. More tears fell from her eyes, but Catra was there to be a steady force for Adora. 

She knew this was a critical moment for her to prove to Adora how badly she wanted to change. Double Trouble had been right, Catra never wanted to be the bad guy. Right now, Adora’s trust was what she craved most in the world, even more than she craved the power she knew would come if they were able to save the world as planned. She knew she needed Adora, and she only prayed Adora would still need her, too, in some way.

When she noticed Adora’s breathing slow, she whispered, “I know she’s a monster, Adora. I never thought she’d go this far with you, but I guess I can’t put it past her.”

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I had no idea, I swe—” Adora said, practically hysterical in her present state of mind.

“Adora,” Catra whispered. “Look at me.” Adora lifted her baby blue eyes to pour into Catra’s split ones. The sight was comforting to each of them, as it had always been. Adora let out a deep breath, mimicking the signal Catra gave her and they breathed together, just as they had done countless times before. “Good! Keep breathing like that. Look, you’ve always been better at the emotional comfort part, obviously—” Catra’s voice faltered for a second because of the comforted giggle Adora let out her through her tears—"but I remember you always used to tell me that what Shadow Weaver did to me, the parts you knew about, the verbal stuff, wasn’t my fault. And I need you to hear me when I say this: this isn’t your fault. She’s manipulative and cruel. You didn’t deserve any of it.”

Instinctively, Adora pulled closer to her, so they were as close as they could be without one of them sitting on the other’s lap. “We didn’t deserve any of it.” She relished in the way Catra’s shoulders relaxed against her own at the words as they sat together quietly for a long time. Adora let out a few more tears before speaking into Catra’s shoulder. “I missed you so much.”

Catra practically shuddered at the words. As much as it pained her, she knew Adora needed to know how vulnerable she was willing to be. I need her to trust me, she reminded herself. “Spending time around all these princesses really can make a Horde soldier go soft, huh? Even the best of the best, like me.”

That was all Adora needed to hear. It confirmed for her that Catra had missed her, too, even if it was stated in cryptic Catra fashion. Adora beamed through her tear-stained cheeks at Catra before giving her a slight shove. “Shut up! You know I’m stronger than you!”

“Please, Adora, strength is nothing! And I’m the fastest soldier the Horde has ever seen!”

“No, you’re just the soldier with the biggest ego,” Adora scoffed back, narrowly dodging a light punch from Catra as she giggled.

A smirk flooded Catra’s face. “What, like you don’t have an ego, Princess?” Adora flung a pillow at Catra, hitting her square in the nose and then nearly fell over from laughter.

From that moment forward, Catra and Adora had returned to being more of a unit than anything else. They trained together, ate their meals together, and attended meetings in the war room together, taunting and teasing each other all the while. In the final battle of the war, it had been Catra and Adora who had delivered the final blow to Hordak Prime to save the universe. They’d done it together, because that was the only way they knew to ensure nothing bad could possibly happen.

It had only taken a month after the war for the two of them to finally talk about their feelings for each other. Catra and Adora had gotten back into their old habit of sleeping in the same bed after Adora had realized that they both had nightmares and felt an intense need to comfort Catra in these instances, which Catra was grateful for, though she couldn’t admit it aloud. Just before they dozed off one night, Adora sat up and declared, “Catra, there’s something I need to tell you.”

Sensing the urgency and slight panic in her voice, Catra only gave a mild sleepy groan before sitting up to ask what exactly Adora needed to talk about at this hour.

Adora huffed back at Catra before the two of them erupted into giggles as they made silly faces at each other, each girl delighted in the comfort they were able to feel together, even though things were so different now. After their laughter had subsided, Adora looked down shyly, rubbing one of her hands against the back of her neck, “Well, uh, I mean, it’s, uh, it’s totally cool if you, um, feel differently, I mean, it’s super low-pressure—”

Catra could feel her heartbeat rising, wondering if Adora was going to say the words she’d been dreaming of hearing for as long as she could remember. However, she knew she wasn’t going to hear them at the rate Adora was speaking. “Adora! What is it?”

Adora closed her eyes, knowing she probably wouldn’t be able to bear it if Catra gave her any reason to be embarrassed over this. Her words came out in a rushed, jumbled mess, but Catra held on to each one. “I-always-joked-with-you-about-liking-me-because-I-have-had-feelings-for-you-for-as-long-as-I-can-remember-and-I-just-think-you’re-so-beautiful-and-incredible-and-I-guess-I-just-wanted-you-to-know!”

Adora opened her eyes slowly, shocked to find Catra staring up at her with delight in her expression. “Holy shit, I never thought I’d be good enough to hear that from you.” Catra’s voice came out in a whisper, and Adora would have reprimanded her if those words hadn’t been immediately followed by the first of many kisses between the two of them. Adora’s stomach instantly filled with butterflies and her heart pounded with such ferocity Catra could feel it against her own chest. Neither girl had ever felt so loved or so happy in her life.

Catra and Adora continued to glow in each other’s presence. Of course, there were issues to work through at times, but they were both determined to hold onto the love they had for each other. They each wanted to be the best possible version of themselves for the other.

Back to the present, Adora pet her purring girlfriend’s ears, enjoying the way they moved against her touch. She longed to tell Catra that she was in love with her, but her anxiety prevented her from taking that step. She didn’t want to get too affectionate and scare the other woman—that would break her heart. Instead, she settled to lean closer to Catra’s ear and whisper, “You know, this suit might be the best one I’ve seen you wear yet.”

Catra leaned up at the compliment, smirking with her eyes lidded slightly. “You’ve always liked me in black, Princess. Some things never change.” Adora smiled at that, leaning closer to her girlfriend instinctively as she let out a small giggle. For the record, Adora hadn’t been wrong. Catra left her tie undone, per usual, but her black dress shirt was very well-fitted, and it had Adora’s eyes raking up and down the other girl’s body all night.

“The way you make me feel will never change,” Adora said back sweetly, smirking when her girlfriend blushed in response.

“You know, black works for you, too.” Catra regained her composure easily, eyeing the little black dress Adora wore for the party at Glimmer’s insistence. Apparently, princesses were supposed to look nice a lot for no reason after a war. Adora hadn’t minded much because it meant Catra gave her lingering looks like the one she was wearing now.

Adora giggled and put on an expression of fake surprise. “Catra, oh my god, do you have a crush on me?” 

Evidently, they’d caused a scene with their typical affection for each other. Neither tried to flaunt their relationship in public, but their love for each other was blatantly clear in each look or touch they exchanged. The group was looking at them, studying the way Adora’s smile made her face glow and the way Catra’s eyes widened to take in the sight of Adora’s laughing face.

Bow sniffled loudly, “I’m so happy to see you both so happy.” He spoke through his tears, not even trying to maintain any sort of composure whatsoever.

Catra sighed. “When Arrow starts crying, you know the party’s officially over.” She took Adora’s hand in her own and began leading them away, calling, “Happy New Year or whatever! See you tomorrow!” over her shoulder.

“It’s not even midnight yet, Wildcat!” Scorpia called out the room to Catra.

In a second, Catra grabbed onto the door frame to fling her head back into the room. “Trust me, we’ll make it to midnight.” She winked at the crowd, who were all used to Catra being this cocky in regard to her relationship with Adora. Even Adora marveled at her girlfriend’s confidence, grateful that Catra was comfortable enough with their relationship to show her off, even if it was just for fun around their friends.

Adora gently let go of Catra’s hand to give goodnight hugs to each of her friends. Catra watched from the doorframe as Adora freely showed her appreciation for the people around her, even if she was quick about getting to each person. I love how genuinely good she is, Catra thought to herself.

Adora truly meant the world to Catra, and, though it was difficult for her, Catra was determined to tell Adora how she felt. A few days ago, in therapy, she’d cried to her therapist, explaining how encouraging and gentle and funny Adora was. “I have no idea how she’s forgiven me, but she has! How could I even deserve that? I have to tell her I love her, I can’t start another year of my life hiding it from her when it’s all I think about every second we’re together. And we’re already dating for fuck’s sake! Why is this so hard for me?”

Catra spent the rest of her session getting a pep talk from her therapist, who reminded her of a few reasons Adora was lucky to have her, while helping her come up with ways to cope ahead to tell the other girl, knowing this would be difficult and stressful for Catra. By the end of the hour, they had orchestrated a perfect plan, and now Catra knew she would be putting it in action.

After Adora had finished wishing everyone a happy new year, she sauntered over to Catra, and they went up the stairs together to their shared room. Catra took deep breaths to help herself calm down. Shadow Weaver’s voice was threatening to break into her mind and throw all her hopes around until they were shattered, but Catra pushed that away. She reminded herself that this was Adora, the only person she felt completely comfortable with; Adora was the safest person she could imagine. 

Once the door closed behind them, Adora pulled Catra into her arms. Catra settled into the hug, enjoying the warmth Adora always managed to radiate. Adora brought her hands to circle Catra’s back, igniting a purr from Catra’s content form as her head rested in Adora’s neck.

Though she enjoyed the hug, Catra’s couldn’t resist a chance to make Adora laugh, so she brought her hands to Adora’s sides before tickling her lightly, tackling her and pushing her onto their bed. Adora erupted in a fit of giggles. “Catra! We’ve saved the universe now, you need to stop pulling such childish, immature—”

Catra said the punchline with her, knowing the joke Adora was going to make. “IS THAT A MOUSE?!” The sound of their laughter together flooded the room, filling both of them with a delighted daze as they took comfort in each other’s company, love filling their eyes before Catra rested her lips upon Adora’s.

Still worried about her ability to articulate her love, Catra took a moment to get lost in kissing her girlfriend. Adora’s lips tasted like vanilla and rose, the very epitome of love. She hummed whenever Catra licked her lower lip, eager for the feeling of Catra’s tongue in her mouth. These familiar tells reminded Catra exactly how safe she was with Adora. It fueled her, showing her for the millionth time why she should tell Adora how she truly felt. So, she lifted herself off her girlfriend’s lips, just enough so she could see Adora’s whole blissed-out face. She needed to know this whole reaction.

“Adora, there’s something I want to tell you. I promise it’s a good thing,” she added hurriedly, already seeing the worry clouding Adora’s eyes. She accompanied her words with a hand reaching out to touch Adora’s, wordlessly reminding both of them that they were a team. 

“All my life, people have made me feel like I would never be good enough. I’ve had a thousand times where I've felt like I was meaningless, like there was no point to my life. But you, Adora, you are the only person who has ever taken incredible care of me while still seeing the whole me. You aren’t afraid to tell me when I’m wrong—you respect me enough for that. But, you also respect me enough to make sure I’m okay. You’ve been my protector my whole life, even when I couldn’t see it. And, Adora, I don’t say it enough, but the fact that you’re able to be with me like this after everything we’ve been through . . . I’ll never be able to express how much that means to me. What I’m trying to say is that I’m in love with you, and—”

Adora sat bolt upright at those words. “YOU’RE WHAT??” She exclaimed, a huge smile on her face. “I mean, I’m in love with you too! Say it again!”

“I’m in love with you, Adora.”

“OH MY GOD! YOU LOVE ME! SHE LOVES ME! CATRA LOVES ME! CATRA LOVES ADORA!” Adora skipped around their room, practically doing cartwheels in her delighted state. She had tears of joy in her eyes, completely overwhelmed with emotion. She ran back to Catra, lifted her off the bed, and held her close, spinning the two of them around. “I’ve never been so happy in my entire life!”

“I can tell!” Catra said, cockiness taking over her with ease. Truthfully, it made her heart flutter to know how happy she could make Adora. She never could’ve allowed herself to imagine such a positive reaction, but it felt so like Adora to be completely excited and childlike with her. She pulled her girlfriend in for another kiss, but it couldn’t last long. Adora was far too giddy with happiness over this announcement for her lips to form anything but a smile.

“I’ve waited my whole life for this moment,” Catra whispered. “I knew I felt different with you, but—”

“I felt the same way. I couldn’t figure out what was so different about it until I saw you at Princess Prom. Then, it really settled that everything felt . . . brighter around you.”

Catra decided to focus on the positive aspects of what Adora had shared; she couldn’t dwell on what she’d been doing at the dance, or any of the things she’d done after it. The idea that she could make everything feel bright sent her tail whipping back and forth wildly. “I knew you liked dancing with me! It was the dip, right?”

Adora shook her head, trying to resist Catra’s advances, but Catra was too smart for that. She took Adora’s hand, replicating the dance almost exactly. “It was something like this, right?”

“Catra, making your statement a question just so I’ll admit how perfect you are—” Adora was cut off by the shock of being dipped by Catra once again. She’d never forget the way she could feel so safe with Catra’s arms holding her like that.

Clearly, Catra could sense it, too. “So, perfect, huh?”

“Yes, exasperatingly so.”

Once again, Catra flung her arms around Adora, pulling her in for a kiss. She knew she struggled with the more emotional conversations, but, based on the sounds she could elicit from her girlfriend, she felt more than comfortable with her abilities in the physical department.

“Hey, Catra?”

“Yeah?”

“Guess what?”

“What?”

“I LOVE YOU!”

Catra laughed at Adora . . . her Adora. “You’re a dork, you know that?”

“A dork that you love!!”

The two of them continued to talk and laugh in their room for the rest of the night, each taking comfort in the fact that this year could bring on a new beginning for them. It would be the first full year away from the war. It would be the first full year of kisses and morning cuddles and shared “I love you”s. Neither of them could wait to see what adventures awaited them in the future, together, as they should always be.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading this! Let me know anything I can work on to improve in the future :)


End file.
